The
clarinet is a woodwind instrument with a beautiful rich velvety
texture of sound
in its lower register, (called the chalumeau register after an earlier
instrument) and a powerful and penetrating sound in its middle and high
registers.

It has a single reed, set in a pointed mouthpiece, unlike the
oboe and bassoon, which both possess a double reed. It is cylindrical in shape,
unlike the cone shape of oboes and bassoons, and it ends with a bell
shape.

The most common clarinet today is the Bb clarinet, whose range
starts at the D below middle C (Midi note D3), and reaches up to the Bb above
the 2nd C above middle C (Midi note Bb6), a total range of
more than 3� octaves. Music written for the Bb clarinet sounds one tone lower
than written, so a written C sounds as the Bb below it. The A clarinet is
a semi-tone lower than the Bb clarinet.

The clarinet has been a regular
member of the orchestra since about 1770. In addition, there is an excellent
repertoire of music for solo or accompanied clarinet. Supremely famous are
Mozart's clarinet concerto and his clarinet quintet.